Machine for filling and closing containers



May 19, 1964 E. HONISCH MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CLOSING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 11, 1961 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTO-R'.

May 19, 1964 4 E. HONISCH 3,133,383

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CLOSING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 11, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U-se FIG 2.

INVENTOR EGON HONISCH BY GLLuKu-IJA 3- 1 ATTORNEYS 3 ,133,388 Patented May 19, .1964

3,133,388 MACHINE FOR FILLING AND CLOSIN CONTAINERS Egon Honisch, Obere Bahnhofstrasse 56, Rapperswil,

. St. Gall, Switzerland Filed Aug. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 130,356

Claims priority, application Germany Aug. 16, 1960 4 Claims. (Cl. 53-112) This invention relates to the filling of liquid and other flowable substances into containers, such as fiat plastic tubes.

The invention is concerned more particularly with the filling of substances into containers which are provided with a detachable cap having a filling opening which can be closed by a plug, permitting the container to be filled after the cap has been placed in position on the'container.

It is known that plastic closure means for containers of the kind mentioned can be produced in one piece by extrusion, the plug for sealing the filling opening after the container has been filled, being connected with the cap by rib or web members which break when the plug is forced into the hole in the cap. Apart from the difiiculties which arise in the production of the relatively com plex shape of the cap and plug, this known form of construction has the further drawback that the ridges. and webs which remain when the connection between the plug and the cap has been broken prevent the plug from forming a reliable seal when it is forced into the hole in the cap.

To obviate this defect it has been suggested to produce 1 the plug and cap separately, and to construct the plug in such a way that part of its length is cylindrical whilst the remainder of the plug has openings formed between longitudinal ribs through which the filling material can enter the container when the plug is only partly inserted into the hole in the cap. It is a drawback of this scheme that the portion of the plug which carries the ribs considerably constricts the cross section available for the introduction of the filling material so that the filling process takes an undesirably long time to complete. If an attempt is made to compensate for this by increasing the diameter of the hole, then it is found impossible to achieve a reliable seal betwen the plug and the walls of the opening in the cap. Another drawback is that the plug must be pressed partly into the opening by hand before the filling operation is started.

In order to overcome these drawbacks the invention proposes to fill and close such containers which are fitted with a detachable cap with a filling opening adapted to be sealed by the insertion therein of a plug, by first introducing the filling material into the container through the unconstricted filling hole in the cap which has been placed in position on the container and by then inserting the plug and pressing it into said hole when the filling operation has been completed. This method is advantageous in that it permits, on the one hand, the full cross section of the filling hole to be utilised for the introduction of the filling material and on the other, simple and hence cheaply produced plugs to be used, which have the same preferably cylindrical section throughout their length, and which need not be longer than the, actual length of the hole in the cap.

In order to prevent loss by dripping it has been found desirable to hold the container in a position with its cap pointing downwards during the operation of filling, filling material as well as the plug being introduced from below upwards.

The inventionrelates also to a filling and closing machine for performing the method according to the present invention, said machine being primarily characterised in that it comprises a plug feeding means operated in timed relationship with the filling means, said plug feeding means, in the course of each operational cycle of the machine, automatically abstracting one plug from a magazme, conveying the same to the cap of the container v that is to be filled and inserting the same into the hole in the cap when the filling operation has been completed.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of machine shown in the accompanymg drawing FIGURE 1 of which illustrates a partly schematic elevational section of a machine for filling and closing fiat plastic tubes. FIGURE 2 is a diagram illustrating the piston operating means. Y

The frame of the machine comprises a table 1 supported at a convenient working level on uprights or on a suitable underframe not shown in the drawing. Secured to the top and underside of this table are the components of the compressed-air-operatedfilling and clos- 1ng means as well as the holding means for the fiat tube which is to be filled and the devices for feeding and inserting the plug into the cap.

The tube holding means comprises a piston 2 having a piston rod 3 which, at its bottom end, carries a flange 4 secured to a filling head 5 of a filling assembly which surmounts the top of table 1. Piston 2 is contained in a cylinder '7, the bottom cover 6 of which carries a holder 8 which at its external end is formed with a semi-circular recess 9 for the reception therein of the neck of the flat tube 10 which is to be filled. On the sides of piston 2, cylinder 7 is provided with openings 11 and 12. Compressed air can be admitted and exhausted through either one of said openings into one of the cylinder chambers whilst the air in the other chamber escapes through the other opening. When compressed air enters the lower chamber through opening 11 and the air in the upper chamber is allowed to escape through opening 12, cylinder 7 will move in the downward direction causing a cap 14 which has been screw-threaded on to the neck of the flat tube 10 to be lowered into a mouthpiece 13 provided in filler head 5 the bottom face of the cap 14 being pressed into liquid-tight contact with an elastic sealing washer 15 on the bottom of mouthpiece 13. The cap 14 has a cylindrical hole 16 and, in a manner which will be later described, this hole can be closed by the insertion thereinto of a cylindrical plug 17 after the tube has been filled. i

The plug 17 is supplied from a vertical magazine 18 which feeds into a horizontal duct 19. The plugs are fed along duct 19 by a plunger 20 on an air-operated piston 21. This piston 21 is slidably displaceable in a cylinder 22 provided with channels 23 and 24 for the admission of compressed air into either of the cylinder chambers whilst the air contained in the other chamber is allowed to escape. When compressed air is admitted through channel 23 and at the same time air is allowed to escape through channel 24, piston 21 will move to the left and displace one plug 17 from the horizontal duct 19 into an adjacent vertical feed shaft 25 extending into the filling mouthpiece 13. If compressed air is then admitted through channel 24 and air from the other side of the piston is allowed to escape through channel 23, then piston 21 will again be withdrawn to the right and permit the lowermost plug 17 in the vertical magazine 18 to drop into the horizontal duct 19.

Below the table 1 is a two-stage air-operated cylinder 26 containing two pistons 27 and 28. Piston 28 is mounted on a piston rod 29 which stands on a flange 30cm a part of the underframe of the machine, such as a bracket indicated at 31. The piston rod 32 of piston 27 serves as a ram which extends into feed shaft 25,

and serves to thrust the plug 17 upwards into the filladmission and discharge of air.

3 ing hole 16 in the cap 14 or the fiat tube after the latter has been filled.

The cylinder chamber of piston 28 is provided with openings 33 and 34 for the admission and discharge of compressed air. When compressed air enters through opening 33 and at the same time air is allowed to escape through opening 34, the cylinder 26 together with piston 27 are lifted bodily, the ram 32 rising part of the way up feed shaft 25. The upward motion of the ram is such that the plug 17 which rests on the head of the ram 32 will just seal the end 35 of a channel 36 which communicates with the plug feed shaft 25, and which is connected by means of a flexible pipe 37 with a source of vacuum pressure such as a vacuum pump 38 which may be in permanent operation and serves for evacuating the fiat tube 10 before it is filled.

The cylinder chamber which contains piston 27 in the two-stage cylinder unit 26 is likewise provided with openings 39 and 40 for the admission and exhausting of air. When compressed air is admitted through opening '39 and air is allowed to escape through opening 40 piston 27 and the associated ram 32 Will be lifted and carry the plug 17 upwards from its position in which it seals the end 35 of the evacuating channel 36 up to the cap 14 of the filled flat tube 10, and will be firmly inserted into the hole 16 in the cap 14 for sealing the tube 10 in liquid-tight manner.

The filling device comprises a metering cylinder 41 atfixed to the underside of the table 1. A piston 42 is displaceable in this cylinder and has a piston rod 43 which at the same time carries a further piston 44 in a compressed air cylinder 45 likewise secured to table 1, the latter cylinder 45 having openings 46 and 47 for the The chamber in the metering cylinder 41 above piston 42 communicates through a duct 48, a non-return inlet valve 49 and a further length of piping 50 with a storage vessel such as a barrel 51, which contains the substance, such as a hot liquid floor polish, which is to be filled into the flat tubes 10.

When compressed air is admitted into cylinder 45 through opening 46 and air is at the same time allowed to escape through opening 47, the two pistons 44 and 42 move downwards and the substance that is to be filled into tube 10 is drawn into the cylinder chamber above piston 42 in cylinder 41 through pipe 50, the non-return valve 49 and duct 48. If compressed air is then admitted into cylinder 45 through opening 47 whilst air is allowed to escape from this cylinder through opening 46, then the two pistons 44 and 42 will rise again, the latter piston now forcing the liquid, which had been previously sucked into cylinder 41, through a channel 52, an aircontrolled feed valve 53 into mouthpiece 13 and thence through the hole 16 in cap 14 into the flat tube *10.

Piston rod 43 has an extension which projects from the bottom cover 54 of cylinder 45, which extension carries a lateral arm 55 supporting a control rod 56. At the end of the upward stroke of pistons 44 and 42 this control rod 56 actuates a control lever of an impulsing air valve 57 which through a main control valve automatically reverses the admission of air into cylinder 45 in such manner that compressed air is now admitted through opening 46 and allowed to escape through opening 47. Consequently the two pistons 44 and 42 will again descend, drawing a fresh charge of liquid into cylinder 41. The stroke of the two pistons 42 and 44 can be set adjustably by a screw spindle 58 which works in a yoke 59.

The inlet valve 53 for the filling material is actuated by a piston 61 which is slidable in a cylinder on the left hand side of the filling head 5 and which has openings 62 and 63 for the admission and discharge of air. The end of the piston rod of piston 61 carries a valve cone which cooperates with a valve seat formed by a sleeve 64 of elastic material. When compressed air is admitted 4 through opening 62 and at the same time air is allowed to escape through opening 63 piston 61 will move to the right in cylinder 60, opening valve 53. When the admission of air is reversed piston 61 moves to the left and pulls the valve cone 65 into sealing contact with its seat 64, thus closing the valve.

FIG. 2-shows the control means consisting of baseplate 76 and two bearings 71 and 72. The compressed air motor 73 turns the cams 78. The cams operate valves 34, 40, 12, 46, 23, 11', 24', 33', 47', 62', 63 and 39. Each of these valves is a three-way valve, i.e. consisting of an inlet for the compressed air, an outlet to the consumer and an exhaust port. Each of the valves indicated by a prime in FIG. 2 is connected with an opening provided with the same number in FIG. 1, for example, the valve 3'4 is connected with the opening 34 in the two-stage air cylinder 26. The valves 51, 74 and 76 are also three-way valves. The two valves 75 and 77 are shuttle valves.

The complete working cycle of filling and closing a fiat tube it in the above-described machine therefore proceeds as follows:

1) The machine is started by momentarily operating the valve 74. The valve 76 is so shifted relatively to the valve 75 that air enters into compressed air motor 73. The cams then begin to turn. The first valves which are operated are valves 34', 4t), 12 and 46. Therefore, compressed air is admitted through openings 34 and 40 into the two-stage air-operated cylinder 26 and the ram 32 is lowered into its bottom position. At the same time compressed air is admitted through opening 12 into cylinder 7, causing the tube holder '8 to rise, thus permitting the flat tube 10 which had been filled and sealed during the preceding working cycle to be lifted out of recess 9 and a fresh empty tube to be placed into holder 8. Compressed air simultaneously enters opening 46 in cylinder 45, causing piston 42 to descend and, valve 53 being closed, to draw a volume of liquid which is determined by the adjustment of screw spindle 58 into cylinder 41.

(2) The compressed air motor continues turning and the cams first operate valves 23' and 11' and shortly afterwards the valve 24'. By the admission of compressed air through channel 23 into cylinder 22 piston 21 is advanced to the left and a plug 17 is thrust into the feed shaft 19. At the same time cylinder 7 is lowered by the introduction of compressed air through opening 11 so that the flat tube 10 with its threadedly attached or push-on cap 14 in position descends into the mouthpiece 13 of the filling head 5, the head of the cap being pressed into sealing contact with washer 15. Since at this instant the interior of the fiat tube 10 communicates through the open end 35 of the vacuum channel 36 with the vacuum pump 38, the air contained in the flat tube 10 is evacuated. The compressed air entering port 24 returns the piston 21, whereby a new closing plug 17 can fall into feed shaft 19.

(3) The compressed air motor continues turning and valve 33 is operated. Now compressed air is admitted through opening 33 of the two-stage cylinder 26. Consequently, cylinder 26 together with piston 27 and the ram 32 will ascend until the ram 32 has lifted the plug 17 which had been previously pushed into the feed shaft 25 over the end 35 of the vacuum channel 36, sealing the latter. The material of the plug 17, its cylinder diameter and the diameter of the feed shaft 25 are suitably chosen to ensure that the plug 17 will seal the opening 35 in air-tight manner.

(4) The compressed air motor continues turning and valves 47 and 62' are operated. Compressed air is now simultaneously admitted through openings 47 and 62 into cylinders 45 and 60. From valve 62' an impulse is also given to valve 76 via the valve 77, whereby the compressed air to compressed air motor 73 is cut-off and the motor stops. Piston 61 will now move to the right, lift ing the valve cone 65 from its seat 64 and thus opening the feed valve 53 of the filler head. At the same time piston 42 rises and thus displaces the liquid, which had been previously drawn into cylinder 41, through the open feed valve 53 into the mouthpiece 13 and through the hole 16 in the cap 14 into the flat tube 10. Due to the action of the above described stroke-limiting means associated with piston 42, each tube is thus filled with a quantity of liquid which can be accurately determined by prior adjustment of screw spindle 58. When the filling has been completed, the impulse valve 51 is operated by the control rod 56'. Thus the impulse arrives via the valve 75 to the three-way valve 76 and from there into the compressed air motor 73 which is started again.

(5) The compressed air motor continues turning and valves 63 and 39' are operated. Compressed air is simultaneously admitted through opening 63 of cylinder 60 and through opening 3 9 of cylinder 26. Consequently, on the one hand, the valve cone 65 of the filler head feed valve 53 will be pulled back onto its seat 64. On the other hand, piston 27 of the two-stage cylinder 26 will ascend, causing the ram 32 to push the plug 17 from opening 35 further up into the hole 16 in the cap 14 of the tube. Valve 39' simultaneously gives an impulse via 77 into the three-way valve 76, whereby the compressed air motor stops again.

A complete working cycle having thus been completed the next cycle can begin immediately, the full tube 10 being removed from the machine in the operational stage described above in (l).

The several operations may be controlled by a conventional sequence control system, for instance in the form of a set of electrical timing switches which in a preselected sequence energise magnetically-actuated air valves in such manner that at the end of exactly predetermined time intervals compressed air will be admitted into one of the chambers of the several cylinders and the air in the other chamber allowed to escape.

If desired the machine may be controlled by pneumatic switch means and time delay relays. Generally these operated by the blowing of compressed air into the time delay relay by an air impulsing valve through an adjustable constriction. Not until the air pressure in a small servo cylinder behind the constriction has reached a given level at the end of a preadjustable period of time can the piston contained in this cylinder be displaced for actuating the air valve proper.

In the machine according to the invention it may be desirable to interrupt the purely time-dependent control by a mechanical control action initiated by the filling operation itself. Such a control means is embodied in the illustrated example for instance in the control rod 56 which cooperates with the air impulsing valve 57. Since the control rod 56 does not actuate the valve 57 until the metered volume of liquid has been actually filled into the tube 10, a fresh charge of liquid cannot be drawn into cylinder 41 until the filling operation has been completed, independently of the time required for completing the filling operation. Thisis a matter of importance when the substances which are filled in the tubes are likely to change their viscosity with the temperature, as for example a liquid wax floor polish. If in a purely timecontrolled system the filling times were determined exclusively by reference to a given temperature of the liquid to which it is heated, then any increase in viscosity due to the liquid cooling may lead to a situation in which a fresh charge of liquid will already be drawn into cylinder 41 before piston 42 has reached the end of its stroke, the filling operation having taken longer to complete than the preset period of time. For the same reason it .may be desirable to control the suction period of filling cylinder 41 by mechanical means, for example by associating a second impulsing valve, not shown, with the bottom end of control rod 56.

It will be readily understood that the invention is not intended to be limited in scope to the details of the particular embodiment which has been described by reference to the accompanying drawing, and that the proposed machine can be modified in various respects. For instance, the moving components of the machine need not be air-operated. They may be actuated for instance hydraulically, mechanically or electrically. Moreover, the invention is not intended to be applied exclusively to the filling and closing of flat plastic tubes. It could equally well be used for filling liquid or flowable materials into containers of other shape, consisting of any other rigid or flexible material, and already provided with their permanent closure means to be finally sealed after the filling has been completed.

I claim:

l. A machine for filling a tube having a cap-carrying neck, said machine comprising, in combination, a tube holding device having a piston, a movable cylinder enclosing said piston and having a bottom cover, a tube holder carried by said cover and having a semi-circular recess for receiving the neck of an inverted tube and a fixed piston rod connected with said piston and extending through said cylinder, said cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of said piston; a tube closing device having means forming a mouthpiece adapted to receive the cap of said inverted tube, a plugcarrying magazine, said means having a duct communieating with said magazine and a feed shaft communicating with said duct and said mouthpiece, whereby plugs from said magazine may be received in said duct, a plunger extending into said duct for pushing plugs located in the duct toward said feed shaft, compressed-air actuated means connected with said plunger for actuating said plunger, a ram-like piston rod extending into said feed shaft for feeding plugs toward said mouthpiece, compressed-air actuated means connected with the ram-like piston rod for moving said ram-like piston rod in two stages, said ram-like piston rod moving directly below said duct in the first stage and moving to said mouthpiece in the second stage for inserting a plug into the cap of the tube, and air-evacuating means communicating with said feed shaft; and a tube filling device comprising a metering cylinder, the first-mentioned means comprising a material-inlet valve communicating with the interior of the metering cylinder and with said feed shaft, a piston within the metering cylinder, means supplying a filling substance to the interior of the metering cylinder, means connected with the last-mentioned piston for actuating the last-mentioned piston to supply the filling substance to said material-inlet valve, and compressed-air actuated means for opening and closing said material-inlet valve.

2. A machine for filling a tube having a cap-carrying neck, said machine comprising, in combination with a table, a tube holding device having a tube holder and compressed-air actuated means for vertically reciprocating said tube holder, said tube holder being adapted to receive the neck of an inverted tube, a tube closing device having a filling head carried upon said table, said filling head having a mouthpiece adapted to receive the cap of said inverted tube, a sealing washer in said mouthpiece adapted to engage said cap, a plug-carrying magazine carried by said filling head, said filling head having a duct communicating with said magazine and a feed shaft communicating with said duct and said mouthpiece, whereby plugs from said magazine may be received in said duct, a cylinder connected with said filling head, a piston movable in the last-mentioned cylinder, a plunger movable along with the last-mentioned piston and extending into said duct for pushing plugs located in the duct toward said feed shaft, the last-mentioned cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of the last-mentioned piston, a two-stage movable cylinder below said table, a piston within one stage of the lastmentioned cylinder, a ram-like piston rod connected with the last-mentioned piston and extending into said feed shaft for feeding plugs toward said mouthpiece, a fixed piston within the other stage of the last-mentioned cylinder, both stages of the last-mentioned cylinder having admission andexhaust openings on opposite sides of the two last-mentioned pistons, said table and said head having a channel communicating with said feed shaft between said mouthpiece and said duct, a vacuum pump, means connecting said vacuum pump with said channel; and a tube filling device comprising a metering cylinder, 2. material-inlet valve within said filling head, said filling head having a passage communicating with said materialinlet valve and said mouthpiece, said filling head and said table having a passage connecting said material-inlet valve with the interior of the metering cylinder, a piston within the metering cylinder, means supplying a filling substance to the interior of the metering cylinder, means connected with the last-mentioned piston for actuating the last-mentioned piston to supply the filling substance to said material-inlet valve, and compressed-air actuated means for opening and closing said material-inlet valve.

3. A machine for filling a tube having a cap-carrying neck, said machine comprising, in combination with a table, a tube holding device having a tube holder and compressed-air actuated means for vertically reciprocating said tube holder, said tube holder being adapted to receive the neck of an inverted tube, a tube closing device having a filling head carried upon said table, said filling head having a mouthpiece adapted to receive the cap of said inverted tube, a magazine, said filling head having a duct communicating with said magazine and a feed shaft communicating with said duct and said mouthpiece, whereby plugs from said magazine may be received in said duct, a plunger extending into said duct for pushing plugs located in the duct toward said feed shaft, compressed-air actuated means connected with said plunger for actuating said plunger, a ram-like piston rod extending into said feed shaft for feeding plugs toward said mouthpiece, compressed-air actuating means connected with the ram-like piston rod for moving said ram-like piston rod in two stages, said ram-like piston rod moving directly below said duct in the first stage and moving to said mouthpiece in the second stage for inserting a plug into the cap of the tube, and air-evacuating means communicating with said feed shaft; and a tube filling device comprising a metering cylinder fixed to the underside of said table, a piston movable in the metering cylinder, a piston rod connected with the last-mentioned piston, another cylinder secured to said table, the last-mentioned piston rod extending through the last-mentioned cylinder, another piston carried by the last-mentioned piston rod and located within the last-mentioned cylinder, the last-mentioned cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of the last-mentioned piston, said table having a duct communicating with the interior of the metering cylinder, means communicating with the last-mentioned duct for supplying the filling substance thereto, a lateral arm carried by the last-mentioned piston rod, a control rod carried by said lateral arm, air control means carried by said table and adapted to be engaged by said control rod, a material-inlet valve within said filling head, said filling head having a passage communicating with said material-inlet valve and said mouthpiece, said filling head and said table having a passage connecting said material-inlet valve with the interior of the metering cylinder, a cone-carrying piston rod adapted to close and open said material-inlet valve, a cylinder connected with filling head, and a piston connected with the last-mentioned piston rod and located in the lastmentioned cylinder, the last-mentioned cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of the last-mentioned piston.

4. A machine for filling a tube having a cap-carrying neck, said machine comprising, in combination with a table, a tube holding device having a piston, a movable cylinder enclosing said piston and having a bottom cover, a tube holder carried by said cover and having a semicircular recess for receiving the neck of an inverted tube, and a piston rod connected with said piston and extending through said cylinder, said cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of said piston; a tube closing device having a filling head carried upon said table, a flange carried by said piston rod and secured to said filling head, said filling head having a mouthpiece adapted to receive the cap of said inverted tube, a sealing washer in said mouthpiece adapted to engage said cap, a plug-carrying magazine carried by said filling head, said filling head having a duct communicating with said magazine and a feed shaft communicating with said duct and said mouthpiece, whereby plugs from said magazine may be received in said duct, a cylinder connected with said filling head, a piston movable in the last-mentioned cylinder, a plunger movable along with the last-mentioned piston and extending into said duct for pushing plugs located in the duct toward said feed shaft, the last-mentioned cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of the last-mentioned piston, a two-stage movable cylinder below said table, a piston within one stage of the last-mentioned cylinder, a ram-like piston rod connected with the lastmentioned piston and extending into said feed shaft for feeding plugs toward said mouthpiece, a fixed piston within the other stage of the last-mentioned cylinder, both stages of the last-mentioned cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of the two lastrnentioned pistons, said table and said head having a channel communicating with said feed shaft between said mouthpiece and said duct, a vacuum pump, means connecting said vacuum pump with said channel; and a tube filling device comprising a metering cylinder fixed to the underside of said table, a piston movable in the metering cylinder, a piston rod connected with the last-mentioned piston, another cylinder secured to said table, the lastmentioned piston rod extending through the last-mentioned cylinder, another piston carried by the last-mentioned piston rod and located with n the last-mentioned cylinder, the last-mentioned cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of the last-mentioned piston, said table having a duct communicating with the interior of the metering cylinder, means communicating with the last-mentioned duct for supplying the filling substance thereto, a lateral arm carried by the last-mentioned piston rod, a control rod carried by said lateral arm, air control means carried by said table and adapted to be engaged by said control rod, a material-inlet valve within said filling head, said filling head having a passage communicating with said material-inlet valve and said mouthpiece, said filling head and said table having a passage connecting said material-inlet valve with the interior of the metering cylinder, a cone-carrying piston rod adapted to close and open said material-inlet valve, a cylinder connected with filling head, and a piston connected with the last-mentioned piston rod and located in the last-mentioned cylinder, the last-mentioned cylinder having air admission and exhaust openings on opposite sides of the last-mentioned piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 234,674 Ingersoll et al Nov. 23, 1880 2,101,156 Payne Dec. 7, 1937 2,435,747 Larson Feb. 10, 1948 2,613,023 Reich Oct. 7, 1952 2,955,393 Muller et al Oct. 11, 1960 

1. A MACHINE FOR FILLING A TUBE HAVING A CAP-CARRYING NECK, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TUBE HOLDING DEVICE HAVING A PISTON, A MOVABLE CYLINDER ENCLOSING SAID PISTON AND HAVING A BOTTOM COVER, A TUBE HOLDER CARRIED BY SAID COVER AND HAVING A SEMI-CIRCULAR RECESS FOR RECEIVING THE NECK OF AN INVERTED TUBE AND A FIXED PISTON ROD CONNECTED WITH SAID PISTON AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CYLINDER, SAID CYLINDER HAVING AIR ADMISSION AND EXHAUST OPENINGS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PISTON; A TUBE CLOSING DEVICE HAVING MEANS FORMING A MOUTHPIECE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE CAP OF SAID INVERTED TUBE, A PLUGCARRYING MAGAZINE, SAID MEANS HAVING A DUCT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID MAGAZINE AND A FEED SHAFT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID DUCT AND SAID MOUTHPIECE, WHEREBY PLUGS FROM SAID MAGAZINE MAY BE RECEIVED IN SAID DUCT, A PLUNGER EXTENDING INTO SAID DUCT FOR PUSHING PLUGS LOCATED IN THE DUCT TOWARD SAID FEED SHAFT, COMPRESSED-AIR ACTUATED MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID PLUNGER FOR ACTUATING SAID PLUNGER, A RAM-LIKE PISTON ROD EXTENDING INTO SAID FEED SHAFT FOR FEEDING PLUGS TOWARD SAID MOUTHPIECE, COMPRESSED-AIR ACTUATED MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE RAM-LIKE PISTON ROD FOR MOVING SAID RAM-LIKE PISTON ROD IN TWO STAGES, SAID RAM-LIKE PISTON ROD MOVING DIRECTLY BELOW SAID DUCT IN THE FIRST STAGE AND MOVING TO SAID MOUTHPIECE IN THE SECOND STAGE FOR INSERTING A PLUG INTO THE CAP OF THE TUBE, AND AIR-EVACUATING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FEED SHAFT; AND A TUBE FILLING DEVICE COMPRISING A METERING CYLINDER, THE FIRST-MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A MATERIAL-INLET VALVE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE METERING CYLINDER AND WITH SAID FEED SHAFT, A PISTON WITHIN THE METERING CYLINDER, MEANS SUPPLYING A FILLING SUBSTANCE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE METERING CYLINDER, MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE LAST-MENTIONED PISTON FOR ACTUATING THE LAST-MENTIONED PISTON TO SUPPLY THE FILLING SUBSTANCE TO SAID MATERIAL-INLET VALVE, AND COMPRESSED-AIR ACTUATED MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID MATERIAL-INLET VALVE. 